Chapter 31

Olivia left her body before dawn bound for Chicago. Tim was away again covering the State track meet in the Tacoma Dome. In seconds she was there ready to put her plan into play. She knew where Art lived and the daily routine he followed. She had a surprise waiting for him. so she watched him arrive in his office knowing he'd be out in ten to fifteen minutes. Time to 'Bump' into him once more.

He was right on time as she assumed the very likeness of Erin McPherson. She walked right into him and fell on the sidewalk only a block east of Michigan Avenue. It was the high rent district. She was dressed in a leather mini skirt with a matching bolero jacket and a green satin blouse. She wore 4 inch heels matching her outfit.

"Ooops," she squealed, being knocked to the ground.

"I'm very sor... ," he looked at the redhead as if she were a ghost. He reached down to help her to her feet but stopped. His mouth opened in surprise.

"That's okay," she got up with a smile. "I should have been looking where I was going ... why are you looking at me like that?"

"Erin? Erin McPherson?" he swallowed hard.

"Who?" she was puzzled. "My name is Dawn Walker," she replied, frowning slightly. She sounded irritated.

"You look just like a woman I knew who died a few years ago. Her name was Erin McPherson. Are you related to her?"

"I don't think so," she said. "You said she looked like me?"

"Yes, exactly. Like identical twins."

"How odd! But they do say that everyone in this world has a twin."

"I was so infatuated with her," Art admitted.

"Uh ... don't get infatuated with me. I can see by the gold band on your finger that you are married."

"Yes, I am. I had wished I could have married Erin instead."

"I'm sure your wife would love to hear you say that," she smiled.

"She'll never find out. She's a good woman but she's not Erin."

"I'm going to the zoo to have some lunch," she said. "I was about to hail a cab to take me there."

"I have nothing better to do at the time, how about me showing you around. I've been there dozens of times."

"I don't want to impose on your time. Besides, your wife might have a big problem with you being with me instead of taking her there."

"Wouldn't be any problem at all. I'm not trying to get intimate with you but you look so remarkably like the woman I loved, I'd like to get to know you." Art looked Dawn in her green eyes hoping that she could see his sincerity.

"Well, it's daylight and I do want to go to the zoo..."

"Then it's all set," he raised his hand to hail a passing taxi.

They walked from the reptile house over to the big cats. It was a beautiful day and most of them were in their outside cages or in areas built for their comfort. Dawn thought this was the time to act. Art reached for her hand as she abandoned her body. He felt it turn very cold. She looked like a lifeless doll instead of the warm woman he thought she was.

1142 hit him from behind sending him sprawling over the moat that separated the two Bengal tigers from the public. The cats, sensing something was wrong leaped up and raced for their shelter. Art came out of his body knowing only a Destroyer could do this to him. "Well you are 1142 after all. Right under my nose." he growled angrily with telepathy.

"I was Erin McPherson at one time. I only used this guise to draw you to me. Now you can prepare yourself to die."

"I seriously doubt that," 3232 sneered.

"You've been sent to liquidate me 3232. Now you have your chance."

They clashed against each other. The people at the zoo knew something was happening but couldn't see anything but two lifeless bodies. One over the barrier the other by the iron grating.

It was the war of souls. Like that when Lucifer tried to overthrow God eons and eons ago. Some even believed that this war between God and Satan was the real reason for the death of all prehistoric life killing all the dinosaurs. Making the Earth uninhabitable then God restoring it and creating man. It was theorized that this war between the good and fallen angels took part in this portion of the universe. It explained how all the dinosaurs were killed at once. This was a theory by Christians and some Jews.

Both 1142 and 3232 were almost equal in strength. They threw each other against trees, concrete, and buildings causing great damage. Humans started fleeing thinking a tornado was striking them. The skies grew dark and a strong wind was howling through the zoo. Beyond that, it was bright and clear to all except the ones at the zoo itself. 1142 struck 3232 with a such a blow of its invisible lion's paw throwing it back against the tiger's den where the ferocious beasts laid together cowering.

For hours these two fought trying to get an advantage over the other. They had both fought against the Anthos thousands and thousands ago in a different part of the universe. Now they were enemies. 1142 fought with all its might as did 3232. Having more experience than 3232, 1142 slowly gained an advantage. The Council observed the battle going on within the confines of its space craft as it sat at the edge of the atmosphere of Earth in a stealth mode. They wanted to assist 3232 in some way but were powerless at the moment. They could only watch the fight by two of the strongest beings ever.

They all witnessed 1142 gaining a slight advantage over its foe. 3232 was fighting at a disadvantage. They saw 1142 using a weapon of a powerful beast called a lion. 3232 didn't have the know how to develop this form of Earth weapon. 1142 tore into 3232's soul penetrating its shield. 1142's mighty grip tried to tear the essence out of 3232 but it missed the first time. With that attack 3232 was severely injured. The second thrust through its shield struck gold. It ripped 3232's essence from the being's soul killing it, 1142 knew that it had been exposed to the space craft hovering at the edge of the atmosphere.